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Armoring the Coast: the Effects of Bulkheads on Salt Marsh Habitats

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Armoring the Coast: the Effects of Bulkheads on Salt Marsh Habitats Armoring the Coast: The Effects of Bulkheads on Salt Marsh Habitats Presented by the Carolina Environmental Program Morehead City Field Site Students: Joseph Hester, Alison Kitto, Elizabeth Newland, Erika Poarch, Ashley Smyth and Zachary Williams Under the direction of Institute of Marine Sciences faculty members: Rachel T. Noble Michael F. Piehler Charles “Pete” Peterson Capstone Project: Carolina Environmental Program, Morehead City Field Site University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Fall 2006 Acknowledgements This project was successful due to the combined efforts of many people. We would like to thank Rachel Noble for her words of wisdom and encouragement through the tough spots. Without Mike Piehler, this project would not have been successful. Mike was always available to answer questions and provide guidance. We thank Charles “Pete” Peterson, for just being Pete. Thanks to Reagan Converse for help in organizing this project and sorting through aerial photographs. Denene Blackwood is deserving of an extra special recognition. Her help in the field, on the boat, in the lab, and with questions was the reason this project was successful. Thanks to Suzanne Thompson for help with laboratory analysis. We would also like to thank everyone at UNC-IMS for their support and help throughout the semester. ii Abstract Shoreline hardening structures, such as bulkheads, are becoming an increasingly popular method of mitigating shoreline erosion. However, few studies have examined the ecological impacts of such structures. Salt marshes are highly productive ecosystems that act as a medium of exchange between marine and terrestrial environments. Bulkheads are thought to disrupt the natural processes associated with salt marshes. Our project was a two-pronged effort 1) we synthesized currently available literature and information regarding the presence and roles of shoreline hardening structures found in estuarine and sound-side locations of eastern NC, and 2) we conducted a field study that examined differences between bulkheaded and natural marshes at four sites located along Bogue Sound, North Carolina. An observational survey quantified the presence or absence of marsh in front of bulkheads. Greater than half of the bulkheads surveyed had marsh; indicating that marshes can coexist with properly cited bulkheads along Bogue Sound. Relative marsh health was experimentally determined by the presence and quantity of Spartina spp., chlorophyll a concentration, and sediment organic matter. Results indicate that bulkheads had no immediately apparent deleterious influence on salt marsh health. However, we also noted extremely high variability among sites for all metrics that we examined, thereby reducing our ability to note significant impacts from bulkheads. Furthermore, when results were broken down by site, we had small sample sizes also limiting our power to assess differences between bulkheaded and natural marsh areas. Even though our results imply that bulkheads may not have dramatic deleterious effects on natural marsh systems, it is clear that further research is needed to confirm our findings. iii Table of Contents Chapter I: Understanding Shoreline Hardening Structures………………………………………....1 Figure 1: Various Shoreline Stabilization Methods ....................................................................................... 3 Figure 2: Linear miles of authorized bulkheading, NC ................................................................................ 4 Figure 3: A series of breakwaters ........................................................................................................................ 5 Figure 4: Stone revetment on the Potomac River, VA.................................................................................. 5 Figure 5: Structural types of a groin ................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 6: Shoreline along the Rappahannock River, Virginia as a result of groin construction ....... 6 Figure 7: A stone sill found along St. Mary's River, MD. ........................................................................... 7 Figure 8: Wooden Bulkhead as used in NC Sounds ...................................................................................... 7 Figure 9: Depiction of how bulkheads affect the intertidal zone (NRC 2006) ...................................... 9 Figure 10:The flow of water at the sides of the bulkhead can lead to erosion behind the bulkhead as well as scouring at the sides. ......................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter II: The Effects of Bulkheads on Salt Marsh Habitats………………………………….....18 Figure 1: The Southeast Region of the US showing Bogue Sound, NC (NOAA).............................. 18 Figure 2: Location of our four study sites (MV, PKS, MC, and AB) (Google Earth) ....................... 19 Figure 3: Diagram of sample site ...................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 4: Diagram showing sample transects ................................................................................................ 20 Figure 5: Numbers of bulkheads on Bogue Sound with and without marsh ........................................ 22 Figure 6: Average percent organic matter for the landward side ............................................................. 23 Figure 7: Average percent organic matter for the seaward side. .............................................................. 23 Figure 8: Average chlorophyll-a concentration (mg/m2). .......................................................................... 24 Figure 9: Average Stem Height (cm) for Spartina. ..................................................................................... 25 Figure 10: Average live and dead stem counts per 0.25m2 ....................................................................... 25 References………………………………………………………………………………………………………....29 Appendix 1: Research Needs…………………………………………………………………………………37 iv I. An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding Shoreline Hardening Structures Introduction Eastern North Carolina is a gently sloping coastal plain drainage basin containing many brackish lagoons, sounds, and salt marshes. These coastal estuaries are a natural by-product of flooded river valleys and coastal plains due to rising sea level. North Carolina has 2.2 million acres of estuarine waters and hosts the second largest estuary in the country, the Albemarle- Pamlico Estuarine System. These shorelines provide valuable natural aesthetic value to coastal communities, and they can be used for many recreation activities. As well, estuarine waters can act as a nursery habitat for marine organisms. Shoreline marshes help to improve water quality by acting as a buffer for stormwater runoff that can rapidly introduce sediments, pollutants, and pathogens into the estuary (Mallin 2000). Biologically productive coastal watersheds are home to over 70% of the world’s population, with population growth expected to continue in the foreseeable future (Vitousek 1997). North Carolina’s eight coastal counties experienced a 32% increase in population from 1977 to 1997 (Mallin 2000). Population and development pressures bring with them environmental degradation in the form of increased fertilizer, pesticide, and sediment introduction into estuarine waters. These changes have led to an excess of nutrient inputs in the estuarine systems leading to a decrease in water quality and frequent algal blooms (Paerl et al. 1998). In addition to local problems, global climate changes, such as rising water temperatures and sea level rise, have altered estuarine environments. Food web disruption, coupled with the effects of shoreline erosion on sedimentation and nutrient flux in the estuaries, could lead to serious water quality problems not only for coastal residents, but also for estuarine organisms. Such changes have made coastal ecosystems more vulnerable to habitat loss and degradation. In periods of sea level rise, landward migration of the shoreline occurs. Erosion and inundation of coastal property are inevitable in this landward migration. In North Carolina, the statewide average of relative sea level rise is 2.88 mm/yr and is likely to increase due to the effects of global warming (Zervas 2004). Faced with the potential to lose their valuable coastal property, significant shoreline alterations are being undertaken by property owners. Tourism in North Carolina is based largely on the availability of coastal vacation spots, but not simply for the ocean and the beautiful view. The commercial and recreational fisheries along the Carolina coast are a significant revenue source for local economies. The decline of the North Carolina oyster industry is a prime example of how vulnerable estuarine fauna can be to ecological disruption. If development continues along North Carolina’s estuarine shorelines, the coastal ecosystem will look vastly different 100 years from now. Not only does sea level rise have an immediate negative impact on coastal property values due to the risk associated with building so close to rising waters, shoreline hardening could potentially alter the coastline so as to make waterfront properties much less attractive to buyers. Unproductive fisheries, eroding shorelines, rising waters, and disappearing marshes could all serve to severely inhibit coastal
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